Title: James Blair Murdoch Photographs
Inclusive Dates: 1920-1965

Creator:

• Murdoch, James Blair

Call Number: UWM Manuscript Collection 131

Quantity:

• 7.4 cubic ft. (14 boxes)
• 146 nitrate negatives
• 2,709 digital files (137 GB)

Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Collection consists of approximately 2,600 images (both negatives and prints), most of them taken by Milwaukee, Wisconsin commercial photographer James Blair Murdoch. Some images, particularly the Standard Oil Company images, were identified as "their negs" and may not have been taken by Murdoch.

Many of the images in the collection are related to area businesses, such as advertising and insurance agencies, department stores, manufacturing industries, and service stations. Particularly numerous are photographs pertaining to Boston Store, Holland Furnace Company, Standard Oil Company, Wadhams Oil Company, and the Wisconsin Telephone Company. Images in the collection document business presentations, offices and employees, building exteriors, store interiors and sale-day crowds, fashion modeling and style shows, parties, gas stations, manufacturing and the production process, including many of women at work.

The collection also contains images relating to Marquette University, Milwaukee-Downer College, Mount Mary College, and Spencerian Business College, as well as photographs from several local grade schools. Photographs document school activities, sports, student groups, and graduation.

Photographs relating to the Milwaukee Athletic Club, Boy Scouts, and some family-related images, including weddings, residences, and pets, are also found in the collection.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0131

James Blair Murdoch was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in January 20, 1896. He came to Milwaukee in the early 1920s and worked as a newspaper photographer. Several years later he opened a commercial photo studio on Broadway Street in downtown Milwaukee. In 1960, Murdoch retired and transferred ownership of the business to David Thielke, an employee. Thielke continued to operate the business as Murdoch Photographing Co. until 1992. Murdoch died on January 25, 1971 at the age of 75.

The images are arranged according to Murdoch's original serial numbers. Images that did not have a number were given an assigned serial number beginning with the letter A. For example, A0001 is the first image in the collection with a number assigned by Archives staff. Negatives are located in boxes 1-8 and 11-14; boxes 1-4 contain glass negatives, and boxes 5-8 and 11-14 contain safety film negatives. Prints are located in boxes 9-10.

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

The James Blair Murdoch Photographs digital collection includes all negatives and prints not matched to negatives. Due to copyright, it is accessible only within the UWM Libraries.

In February and December of 2011, some safety acetate negatives were deaccessioned due to advanced deterioriation. Digital scans of these negatives are available on the network drive for access.

Access Restrictions

Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room. Handling of the glass negatives requires the assistance of an archivist. There are no other access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Custodial History

The Murdoch photographs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee comprise only a portion of the Murdoch Photographing Co. archives, the rest of which remain in the possession of David Thielke, owner of the business from 1960 to 1992. At an unknown date, Thielke made a gift of several thousand photographs to Stephen D. Coppinger as research material. During his lifetime, Coppinger distributed some of the photographs to others. Following his death, his wife gave the remaining photographs to Hugh Swofford to donate to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Hugh Swofford donated the collection to the Archives in February 1998 (accession 1997-059) in memory of Stephen D. Coppinger. A second donation (accession 1999-020) was apparently made between July 1999 and June 2000.

Processing Information

Mark A. Vargas processed the 1997-059 accession at the Archives in July 1998. Christel Maass processed accession 1999-020 and created a database for the collection from January to April 2001. Prints for selected images were made and added to the collection through February 2003.

In March 2011, Michael Doylen removed 146 nitrate negatives from the collection and placed them with other nitrate negatives.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

As of December 22, 2022, all electronic files were accessible on an Intel Core i7-10700 CPU (2.90 GHz, 16.00 GB RAM) running Windows 10 Education Version 21H2. Software used to access the files includes Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.

The collection includes records in the following file formats:

• Tagged Image File Format [.tif]

	Negatives Physical Description: Glass negatives
Box   1-4	Physical Access Restrictions: Request the assistance of an archivist to view the glass negatives.
Electronic Folder     /Glass_Negatives/	Digital Physical Description: 427 digital files (24 GB)
	Negatives Physical Description: 8" x 10" safety film negatives
Box   5	Physical
Electronic Folder     /8x10_Safety/	Digital Physical Description: 32 digital files (1.60 GB)
	Negatives Physical Description: 4" x 5" safety film negatives
Box   6-8, 11-14	Physical
Electronic Folder     /4x5_Safety/	Digital Physical Description: 2,038 digital files (103 GB)
	Prints Physical Description: Photographic prints
Box   9-10	Physical
Electronic Folder     /Prints/	Digital Physical Description: 8 digital files (47.9 MB)
	Negatives Physical Description: 4" x 5" nitrate negatives
4 x 5 Nitrate Box   5	Physical Access Restrictions: Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room.
Electronic Folder     /4x5_Nitrate/	Digital Physical Description: 28 digital files (1.54 GB)
	Negatives Physical Description: 5" x 7" nitrate negatives
5 x 7 Nitrate Box   2	Physical Access Restrictions: Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room.
Electronic Folder     /5x7_Nitrate/	Digital Physical Description: 4 digital files (158 MB)
	Negatives Physical Description: 8" x 10" nitrate negatives
8 x 10 Nitrate Box   1	Physical Access Restrictions: Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room.
Electronic Folder     /8x10_Nitrate/	Digital Physical Description: 117 digital files (5.93 GB)